Starter will stick-stay engaged
 

Every once and a while only when I first start the car it might not start right up and the starter says engaged when the key springs back in the ignition switch, I have to shut it all the way off to get it to stop? anyone experienced this and if so is it the ignition switch or starter?

starter solenoid is going. you will need to remove starter to remove the solenoid and replace just that part.

I know on American cars they go bad all the time. Usually the starter spins but it wont engage.

Do you know if they go bad on the X5's? or is that just your opinion.

It's just a starter. Nothing fancy about European vs American ones. It's likely the solenoid. Or you could just replace the entire thing while you're in there.

I just had the same issue on my 850i last summer. just a solenoid needed to be replaced, but I bought the entire new starter and I can rebuild my starter with another solenoid another time.

Are you sure this isn't just the convenience start feature? The V12 & V8 BMWs starting with the e38...has a feature that only requires turning the ignition to the start position (KL 50) then you can release the key and the starter will continue until the engine starts.

If you are having issues with the engine not starting...it can be disconcerting to hear the starter continuing on when you've let go...but this isn't a starter issue...its a feature...and the issue is more about why the engine isn't engaging...not about the starter.

You can see this feature mentoned in the owners manual (see text highlighted in green below) and in the EWS info below. In the EWS chart, its called 1-touch start & started around the 1997 model year...then gradually was added to other models with V8 engines as they rolled out. The I6 and manual tranny V8s didn't get this feature:

My 04 has this 'feature'. IMO it's the second most useless thing that BMW puts in for us.

Not to mention that once you get used to it, you find yourself unable to start your other cars on the first try because you just turn the key for a brief moment expecting it to crank until it starts.

(The most useless is the hatch 'soft close' feature. BMW already knows how to make a door close quite nicely. I really don't need an electric motor to pull it shut the last 1/2"... not to mention that unless you install those handy little helper springs, EVERY time you pop the hatch from the interior, when you get out and close the driver door, the convenience closer conveniently re-closes the hatch before you get around to the back.)

Qsilver7 it was a starter issue for me. Specifically the solenoid. My '91 850i did not have the same start feature like my facelifted e53 does.
Thanks for the thought tho!

Clockwork, my fault for not quoting Rockit...my reply (question) was to him...not to you. I knew your post was exempt from the convenience start feature due to the info in your signature...your 850i is a 91 model year...six years prior to BMW using that feature. :)

:D:D ...words never so true! That made me laugh due to experience...been there, done that. Every time I start another car that doesn't have that feature...I usually wind up with a failure to start on first attempt due to letting go of the key too soon... ::D